AUBURN HILLS -- The Pistons recent hot streak has the team walking around with a little more confidence these days.

One Piston has even mentioned the word playoffs.

Will Bynum talked playoffs after the Pistons beat the Miami Heat last week and did so again after Detroit (12-22) defeated Sacramento Tuesday night.

"I don't know what everybody is thinking, but that's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking playoffs," Bynum said. "Boston has what, 14 wins? We're right there. If we continue to play at the level we're at right now, keep winning games down the stretch in the fourth quarter then I think we'll be fine. We have a chance."

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Detroit has won five of its last six and trail the Celtics (14-16) by four games for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Of course there are three teams (Philadelphia, Orlando and Toronto) between the Pistons and Boston, but Detroit's confidence seems to be growing by the day.

"I just think with wins comes more confidence," Bynum said. "I can't speak for everybody, but my confidence never really go anywhere, no matter if we're winning or losing. I thought earlier in the season we were playing well too. We just were a few possessions, a shot here or a defensive stop there away from winning. It was always right there."

Villanueva ejected

Charlie Villanueva was ejected from Tuesday's game during the second quarter for a forearm shot to Sacramento's Isaiah Thomas.

Thomas was knocked to the ground and immediately got up and went after Villanueva. The two had to be separated by teammates.

After review, Villanueva was hit with a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected, while Thomas avoided any penalty.

"They're saying because there's a forearm to it," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said of the explanation he was given. "I'm going to read a little bit more about the Flagrant 2 foul. Obviously they have the benefit of video review to see it. I haven't seen it yet. They're saying under the guidelines of the rule and the review, it qualifies as a Flagrant 2. There's a process we'll follow to see if there is another interpretation of it."

Pistons trainer hit with 'T'

Longtime Pistons trainer Mike Abdenour was hit with a technical foul Tuesday during the third quarter.

"I just think they ... wanted to takes Abes' money. They heard he got a raise this summer and they're going to dip into it," Frank joked after the game. "I don't know why Abes got the tech because my first question was, 'Who did you call the 'T' on?' I just think a lot was going on in the game. It was a big time contact play under the rim where there wasn't a foul called, so I think the whole bench reacted. I don't know why they gave the tech to Abes. I don't know."

Abdenour is no stranger to technical fouls and was once ejected from a summer league game.

Dave Pemberton covers the Pistons for The Oakland Press. Email him at dave.pemberton@oakpress.com and follow him on Twitter @drpemberton.